After a life-threatening ordeal on the Thohoyandou road two weeks ago, a Louis Trichardt resident, Ms Marika du Preez, is eager to make contact with the people who came to her rescue when her car caught fire on the way to Levubu.

“I have thanked the Lord over and over again for sending these people at the right time to save my life. I would really want to thank them personally for the capable and diligent assistance and the compassionate way in which they reacted to me in my desperate plight,” says Du Preez.

This week, obviously still deeply moved, Du Preez, who has severe health problems, related how her trip to Levubu came to an abrupt end when smoke suddenly started billowing from the engine. She stopped beside the very busy road, shocked and unable to move.

“A man who was driving a lorry with a cargo of vegetables and who was right behind me when the trouble started, immediately stopped and rushed to my window. He told me to open the window and then to open the bonnet of the car,” Du Preez said. While she was still too dazed to react, the man put his arm through the window, released the bonnet latch and started putting out the fire with a fire extinguisher.

“At the same time, he instructed me to get out of the vehicle and to phone my people. He called on a woman in one of the other cars which had also stopped, to bring me some water, while he took tools from his car to disconnect my car’s battery. The woman offered me water to drink. All of them acted with so much compassion, and I am really so sad that I did not even have the opportunity to find out what their names were and how I can contact them. I would like to thank them personally for their kindness. They saved my life,” said Du Preez.

After ensuring that she was safe and that help was on the way, the unknown man excused himself because he had an urgent delivery to make in Thohoyandou. He assured her, however, that he would be back on his return trip.

“An expert told me that this man did exactly the right things at the right time to ensure that I did not get trapped in the burning car. Were it not for his expert and timely actions, I could have been killed," Du Preez said. After she got out of the car, she succeeded in contacting family and friends, who came to her further assistance.

Du Preez expressed her profound appreciation and thanks to PC and Zarika Gird and also to everybody else who helped. She had special appreciation for Mr Gert Coetzee of Werda Motors for his professional assistance.